There have been a lot of outsiders suggesting this season has been one of Carlisle’s best coaching jobs.

He doesn’t want to hear any of that talk.

“Anybody talking about my coaching job has got to find better things to do,” he said. “There’s a lot more important things in the world. I’m 100 percent sure of that.”

Nowitzki credited Carlisle and owner Mark Cuban for helping keep the Mavericks afloat this season when the situation was dire.

“Nobody gives up,” Nowitzki said. “We’re all competitors. I think Mark being Mark, who is probably the biggest competitor I’ve ever met. I mean, you’ve seen the tweets with Donald Trump every day. They’re competing over Twitter, those two morons.

“Coach, same thing. Huge competitor. And obviously, the leadership on this team, the older guys. … That’s what you’ve been seeing the last couple weeks.”